"us Property" Tsmg

Is there a uniform rule as to why some TSMGs were marked "US PROPERTY"? I can't find much on this issue in American Thunder. Were these Lend-Lease guns to foreign nations? If my desire is to find a gun that at least has the possibility of having been carried ashore at Normandy by a US GI, does a gun stamped "US PROPERTY" have no chance of having this lineage? Thanks for your help!

Based on a number of past comments on this board and a discussion with Frank, there don't appear to have been any formal rules about US Property being added to weapons. It is my understanding that most of the 1928's manufacturered after Lend-Lease went into effect were marked US Model of 1928 A1 so that they could be supplied as part of Lend-Lease. Once the M1's and M1A1's came along, they only appear to have marked those that were definitely destined for Lend-Lease. Many weapons not marked made their way into other countries, so you get the kind of disparity that Waffen und Bier indicates.

Not all Lend-Lease countries proof marked their weapons to the degree that countries like Britain did.

Thanks for the comments. Am I correct in concluding therefore that a Savage M1A1 marked "US PROPERTY" was more likely than not to be a gun earmarked for a non-US purchaser? That is, is it not very likely that a US soldier in WW2 would have carried a Thompson SMG stamped "US PROPERTY"?

I have a Savage built M1A1 that was carried by a US troop in the pacific theatre during WW2 (specifically mid 1943). The serial number is in the 522xxx range. It is NOT marked with the "US Property" stampings. It has the "FJA and GEG" US acceptance stamps and has never been to an arsonal for rebuild.

I think this is all original as it has been in the veteran's safe for 60 years (hopefully in about 3 months will be in mine!!). If you need photos for comparison let me know...although mine is different than every one i have ever seen

It is my understanding that the property stamp was for exported weapons (makes sense?)...though mine, as stated above, is unique...so i think pretty much anything is possible!

Interests:Like the name says "Guns and beer" (and really hot chicks who like guns and beer).

Posted 30 December 2003 - 11:25 PM

There's a bunch of former Lend Lease Thompsons in Russia that seem to be making their way out of that county as demills, dummy guns, and parts kits. Anybody seen any special markings the Russians may have put on these guns? Are any of those receivers marked US Property?

I was told "long ago", that originally the "US PROPERTY" marks were applied to weapons that were also for commercial sale to id them as governemnt property. For example the M1911 and my Mossberg 44US assault rifle. (it's military and it holds more then one round, so it must be an assault rifle, right?)

But I think things got blurred in WWII. My guess, for what it's worth, some tommies that were made and marked for lend lease were absorbed into the US system. And some that we really didn't need that bad right now were sent to our allies without the property marks.

I have fondled a mint M1 carbine that was Lend Lease to Canada, it has a Canadian ownership stamp, but no US property.